This invention relates to automobile doors, and more particularly, to door opening assist devices for use on automobile doors, hoods and trunks.
The aggressively competitive automobile industry continuously strives to provide new and exciting features to the new model automobiles. A focus toward style, creature comforts and safety has been a major factor in differentiating one competitor""s products from others and premium models from budget models.
With many automobile owners not satisfied with the style, quality, and availability of the features provided by the automakers, owners have turned to aftermarket component manufacturers and even automobile kit manufacturers for satisfaction. The owners of hot rod, street rod, and classic automobiles are always looking for ways to customize and differentiate their cars from others, and styling, shape and form are high on the list of attributes that these owners wish to improve.
A growing trend for customizers is to present their automobiles with a sleek, sculpted body. Body trim components and other embellishments are giving way to smooth body panels, hoods and grills. One component of the automobile that intrudes on the sleek look of the side body panels is the door handle.
The aftermarket component manufacturers are providing the automobile owner with an ever-increasing selection of components to add to, replace, or modify the standard automobile features. A popular aftermarket component is what is known as a shaved door handle system. The shaved door handle system allows for the complete removal of exterior door handles providing a continuous smooth appearance across the side body panels. Without an exterior door handle, the shaved door handle system provides a remotely controlled, electrically powered door lock and latch actuator. Once the door is unlocked and unlatched, there is still a need to open the door as there is no handle to pull the door open. An internal door opening assist device is needed to push open the door to allow entry.
Door opening assist devices come in a variety of forms. Electrically operated solenoids and linear actuators have been used with some success. These systems, though, require electrical power to operate and rather complex timing logic to control activation with respect to the unlock and unlatch mechanisms.
Another type of door opening assist device that has been used is a spring-biased piston, such as the one in U.S. Pat. No. 5,369,911, Fortunato. This device is a spring-biased piston that is mounted in the door frame. When the door is closed, the piston is pushed against a spring by a door surface which compresses the spring. The door latch holds the door in a closed position against the potential energy of the spring-loaded piston. Upon the unlatching of the door, the spring-biased piston extends, pushing against the door surface opening the door. This solution provides a door opening device that requires no power to operate, and requires no timing logic to activate. The shortcomings of the ""911 device includes, but is not limited to, that the spring is exposed, which can be a safety hazard as well as a reliability hazard due to dirt and debris infiltration.
Additionally, the current spring-biased piston devices do not have provisions to adjust the tension and throw of the piston. It is desirable for the user to be able to adjust the throw of the door to account for the weight and balance of the door as well as personal preference.
Accordingly, there is a need for a door opener assist device that is simple in operation, requires no electrical power, is easily installed by the consumer, and easily adjustable both in tension and door opening characteristics.
The present invention provides a door opening assist device that provides benefits currently lacking in the art. For example, but not limited to, the device has an adjustment feature that controls the extent to which it opens the door. The device has various mounting features adaptable to particular mounting applications. And the device contains the compression spring in the housing, protecting the spring from dirt and the like, while protecting the user from physical injury.
In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, the door opening assist device comprises a spring-biased piston having a threaded bore mounted in a cylindrical housing by a threaded bolt. The piston retains a spring within the housing at a first end of the housing. The threaded bolt engages the piston from a second end of the housing. The piston is retained within the housing by the cooperative engagement between the spring urging the piston out of the first end and the head of the bolt in abutment with the second end.
In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, the door opening assist device further comprises a flange extending from the first end of the housing. The flange comprises apertures adapted to accept appropriate fasteners to couple the housing to a structure, such as, but not limited to, a doorjamb.
In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, the door opening assist device further comprises a circular flange extending from the first end of the housing and a mounting nut. The first end further comprises threads extending at least a portion of the length of the housing proximate the flange and adapted for threaded engagement with the mounting nut. In application, the second end of the door opening assist device is passed through an aperture in the structure and the mounting nut is advanced onto the threads to engage the structure between the flange and the nut.
In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, the door opening assist device further comprises a circular flange extending from the first end of the housing and a mounting plate comprising an aperture. The first end further comprises a capture ring adapted to slidably engage the aperture of the mounting plate to couple the mounting plate to the housing. The capture ring comprises an enlargement of the diameter of the housing spaced a predetermined distance from the flange corresponding to the thickness of the mounting plate defining a seat. The capture ring provides a rearward facing sloping surface having a diameter proximate the flange that is greater than the diameter of the aperture of the mounting plate to a diameter smaller than the aperture of the mounting plate distal from the flange. In application, the aperture of the mounting plate is passed over the second end of the door opening assist device. The mounting plate is forcefully advanced over the capture ring to snap into the seat between the capture ring and the flange. The mounting plate further comprises apertures adapted to accept appropriate fasteners to couple the housing to a structure, such as, but not limited to, a doorjamb.
In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, the door opening assist device further comprises a circular flange extending from the first end of the housing, a mounting plate having an aperture, and a mounting nut. The first end further comprises threads extending at least a portion of the length of the housing proximate the flange and adapted for threaded engagement with the mounting nut. In application, the aperture of the mounting plate is passed over the second end of the door opening assist device and advanced over the threads to the flange and the mounting nut is advanced onto the threads to engage the mounting plate between the flange and the nut. The mounting plate further comprises apertures adapted to accept appropriate fasteners to couple the housing to a structure, such as, but not limited to, a doorjamb.
In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, the door opening assist device further comprises a circular flange extending from the first end of the housing, a mounting plate having an aperture, and a mounting nut. The first end further comprises a capture ring adapted to slidably engage the aperture of the mounting plate to couple the mounting plate to the housing. The capture ring comprises an enlargement of the diameter of the housing spaced a predetermined distance from the flange corresponding to the thickness of the mounting plate defining a seat. The capture ring provides a rearward facing sloping surface having a diameter proximate the flange that is greater than the diameter of the aperture of the mounting plate to a diameter smaller than the aperture of the mounting plate distal from the flange. The first end further comprises threads extending at least a portion of the length of the housing proximate the capture ring and adapted for threaded engagement with the mounting nut.
In application, the user has the option of discarding the mounting plate and mounting the door opening assist device by passing the second end of the housing through an aperture in the structure and advancing the mounting nut onto the threads to engage a structure between the flange and the nut.
The user also has the option of discarding the mounting nut and, from the second end of the housing, forcefully advancing the aperture of the mounting plate over the capture ring to snap the mounting plate into the seat between the capture ring and the flange. The mounting plate further comprises apertures adapted to accept appropriate fasteners to couple the housing to a structure, such as, but not limited to, a doorjamb.